End of the Line
by tearsofbreakingglass
Summary: It's been two years since the end of World War Two. The final sentencing for reparations by the Allies has come. Austria, Germany, and Prussia have all right to fear what might be coming for them.


_1947 - Geneva, Switzerland_

There was a silence amongst the three nations sitting in the frigid hallway. Germany, Prussia, and Austria didn't dare speak a word to each other for the longest time. Tension crackled amongst the three men. None of them knew what to say, what would be appropriate. Austria and Prussia remained silent to withhold their blame. Germany remained silent out of fear until the panic and anxiety of not knowing overtook. A rush of words began to pour from his lips.

"Why aren't Italy and Japan here?" The German man asked frantically. He rose and began to pacing. The heel of his shoe made a clip that echoed throughout. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and widened from terror. He was shaking uncontrollably and his movements were erratic instead of his usual precise ones. "America and China should be punishing Japan. I shouldn't be alone here."

Austria sighed. "Italy has already received his and we've heard no word from the East yet." He looked down at the ground. "We're all war criminals."

"Well, two of us aren't. Two of us got dragged in for the ride." Prussia grumbled under his breath. Roderich was the only one to catch the comment and glared at his cousin. The albino man got the cue and went back to being quiet as Germany continued to ramble on about nothing and everything.

Five minutes later, a petite Englishwoman opened the door and led them into the chamber. Canada, China, Russia, England, America, and France all sat in a semicircle at the head of the room. None of them showed any expression, except for America who gave them a polite, yet very restrained, smile.

The three nations on trial sat at the chairs and table before their prosecutors. Prussia leaned back and put his feet up onto the table. "Can we cut to the chase? All three of us are aware of how shitty we are. Just deal it out to us."

England smiled cruelly at his long ago ally. "As you wish, Mr. Beilschmidt."

France took the lead. "We were originally going to go with Austria first, but due to a last minute change of plans, Gilbert-"

"Only my friends call me Gilbert." The Prussian cast Francis a dirty look as he spoke. The betrayal he had felt centuries before due to Holy Rome being slaughtered at the Frenchmen's hands still stung. Even when they had been allies, Prussia refused to call him a true friend. That was what Spain was for. And now, now that someone who was supposed to be his friend was treating him like a criminal? Convicting him of crimes he was forced to commit as a result of his brother? No, they would never again be friend. "And, I want to state that I'm a victim in this. That this is no longer my nation to control. It's called Germany. Not Prussia. Germany. Anyway so what hell am I being subjected to? Gotta give Konigsberg to Poland? Least I can do. The guy deserves it. It makes a lot of geographical sense anyway. Where do I sign?"

Francis' face turned white. He looked away from Prussia and instead at the Briton besides him. "Non, I can't. I didn't want to be the one to do this. I understand the necessity, but I can't." He barely looked at the Prussian before him. "Gilbert, please, forgive me."

Gilbert cocked an eyebrow. "It's not even that big of an area. Ja, there was a lot of history attached, but I'll get over it. I'll come and visit it every now and then for old times sake."He finally realized the looks of mockery and pity he was getting. Bile came rushing up into his mouth. He forced himself to swallow. "I get the feeling I'm wrong."

Arthur grinned. To demolish the nation that had held a better army than him - the greatest empire in the world - gave him such joy. Prussia's time had finally come. "We, the Allied Forces of World War Two, find it necessary to dissolve the Free State of Prussia. Your lands will be divided up between Germany, Poland, Russia, and whomever else we find you've wronged. Your name will change accordingly to each place, but will not remain apart of you." He smiled and licked his lips. "I must admit, it will be interesting to see an empire die considering none of us are aware of what happened to our ancestors. I barely remember how Mother went. Yours will be an interesting case study."

Prussia's face turned paler than normal. His heart dropped into his stomach. "Nein. Nein! You can't do this! I had nothing to do with the start of the war! My people revolted against Hitler!" Tears were brimming in his eyes. He jumped up over the table and rushed towards his prosecutors. "There's no standing for this!"

America looked away. "Dude...don't make this worse than it has to be. I doubt you're gonna really die."

This enraged him. "You arschloch! You're nothing compared to all of us! I've seen my bruders, my vader, everyone I'm related to die over the years. And you dare tell me being dissolved isn't a big deal? That I'm blowing this out of proportion? I. Did. Nothing. I fought in plenty wars, ja, but so did all of you! We've all spilt each others blood."

He frantically looked at each face, trying to find someone he could plead to. He found that person in Russia. Prussia fell to his knees before Ivan. Tears were flowing freely now down his face. "Please. Ivan, Russia. We were allies. We've been allies for so many years. We fought together and won. I know the German unification hurt that, but you and your boss can't forget the past. Please. Please don't let me die."

Russia felt his heart wrench. While he was no fan of the snake in the grass Ludwig had turned out to be, Gilbert was another story. They had fought excellently together. They had won so often and shared many good memories. Did they have their wars? Of course, but that's what Europe was about. He wouldn't punish him for that. "Stalin didn't...I didn't want this. We wanted to at least retain the name. I'm sorry, Prussia. I'm not the one who needs to hear this." He then looked at the other nations. "I need a drink." He somberly escaped into the chamber where they allies had come from.

France turned around in his chair. "Mon ami, this is for the best. You were a very militaristic region. Always fighting and invading. Non, it wasn't good. If we divide you up and separate you from your brother, he should be able to grow and mature without your warmongering instincts. This all could've been avoided if you put down the sword and put on the toga like the rest of us."

A chill ran down the Prussian's spine. He couldn't believe this. He didn't want to believe this. "Look at yourself! Look at England, Spain, Austria! I did not go to the New World to start wars that carried over into Europe! I begged none of you for help against my enemies! I stood tall, strong, and powerful! If anyone's militaristic in this room, it's the one with the fucking empire that's ready to collapse! You and Arthur are the biggest hypocrites I've ever met. What makes it worse is getting your two former colonies, a nation you've fucked over so much just for trade, and a Russian in a corner to agree to this."

He turned to walk towards the door, but the anger he felt couldn't be held back. He whipped around and faced them all once more. "I didn't want this war. My nation, my free state or whatever bullshit it became, had a significant amount of people that revolted against Hitler." He looked at Germany. "Did you ever step foot in those places?"

Germany shook his head. Prussia continued. "Not surprised. Well I did because I was made the bitch. I was the goddamn bitch. Fun fact: Edelstein. It's a German name, but it's also Jewish. I want you all to guess where Roderich would've gone. Doesn't matter that he's a nation, he would've been there. It's a good thing someone in the family picked up on the anti-semitism, realized their cousin would die, and changed his last name to Beilschmidt. Such a good thing one of us did. Ludwig? Was that you? Nein, of course not because I'm the one who did it, but I'm the one who wants to see the world go up in flames."

Austria looked touched. "You did that? I would've thought...danke."

Prussia didn't hear the Austrian over the sound of his ranting. "If anyone should be getting dissolved it's Germany. That's his boss. That's his boss and he's the one who should cease to exist because his birth was a mistake as far as I'm concerned!" He glared at his brother. Hatred suddenly filled him. "You...you were the mistake. Ostmark should've started you! I regret Bismark and I regret your birth! You're the reason all this shieße has happened to me! Ich hasse dich!"

There was a deathly silence. The gravity of what had been said hit hard. Germany looked broken. His head looked down at his hands and a few stray tears went down his cheek. Gilbert's eyes widened. "I didn't mean it like that. Ludwig, West. I take it back."

It was a minute before the German stood. Ludwig rose on shaky legs and looked straight at the men who held his fate in their hands. "Ja, he's right. Everyone's been right. I don't deserve any mercy. I don't deserve any forgiveness or empathy or respect. This isn't the first war, this isn't where we all made mistake. The blame winds up on me and the people I represent. You all say you wish to do the right thing, to clean the slate once and for all." He glanced at his older brother and sighed. "Don't punish him. The right thing is to dissolve Deutchland." Tears once again fell down his face and he collapsed in his chair. "Bitte, dissolve me! My life is the one that should be traded for all the millions lost! I stood beside evil incarnate, I supported it, I was proud of it until so recently! Bitte, dissolve me. Dissolve me, let a better nation take my place."

Francis shrugged. "Getting rid of the German sounds good to me." He glared down his nose at Germany. "You've been a menace since you were a small child."

Russia had walked back in sometime ago and was back in his seat, vodka glass in hand. "Da, there's no reason. He's done nothing for us." He chuckled softly. "Or for me. He has never kept a promise. Then again, keep your enemies closer."

America and Canada shared a look. Germany wasn't much younger than them. In any other situation, it could be them instead of Germany. "I think we should take a recess to discuss this..." Canada whispered. He didn't want to rock the boat too much by getting involved in European affairs. He was thankful for the ocean that separated them normally.

Discussion broke out amongst them. Arthur rolled his eyes. This was much longer than he had wanted it to be. He banged his gavel. "Morons, you're forgetting the plan! Germany, you're going to be split into East and West. The West will be overlooked and controlled by America, France, and I. The East is Russia's problem. As far as I'm concerned, you're not really going to exist." He turned his attention back to Gilbert, who was still fuming. "Mr. Beilschmidt, did you not fight in the war?"

"Ja, I fought. I had to. I also owned his stupid book because it was illegal not to. Look at me! I'm an albino, I'm a freak! I'm hardly Aryan! I had to do everything I could so I wouldn't wind up like what that monster ordered on Poland or the Netherlands or Hungary!"

"Did you oversee generals who committed acts of torture?"

"This is crossing a line! You're doing this purely for-"

"Did you not help kill innocent people?"

"-a power trip to show your authority in-"

"Do you not deserve to pay for your crimes?"

This silenced the Prussian. His eyes were burning holes into the ground. Eventually he looked up. His cheeks were tear stained. "You forget that we can't disobey. We've all committed atrocities we hadn't wanted, that we look back on with disgust. The Trail of Tears, the slave trade, the Romanovs. Who among us doesn't deserve to pay for what they've done as a nation? Who here is truly innocent? You're punishing me for wanting to be strong. We all wanted to be strong! But I'm somehow the worst for it?"

"Answer the question, Gilbert."

Prussia closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. There was no escape. "I deserve to pay.

Arthur reclined in his chair. A smug grin danced across his lips. "Then, like all the other Nazis, you will. Your country is dissolved. Ludwig, your war reparations will be billed to you. Austria, no reparations will be paid to you, but we see you not at fault. Again, Russia, America, France, and I will see to the running of your government. This meeting is adjured."

The Allies left leaving the three men alone together. Ludwig took a cautious step towards his older brother. He reached out a hand towards him. "I'll see what I can do. I'll try and transfer power. Gilbert, I can't do this without you. I don't know what I'm doing." He sounded so small, so like a child.

Prussia stared back and forth between his brother and his cousin. "Nein. You absolved me of all my power centuries ago. You're on your own." He patted West on the shoulder and walked out of the courthouse. Soon he found himself sprinting, trying to get away from it as fast as he could.

As he ran, the meeting played over and over again in a loop. He couldn't get the words out of his head or the emptiness in his soul to dissipate. Finally, he stopped. What good would running do? He couldn't turn back time. He had to accept fate. Gilbert slumped down on the ground, hugging his knees. He wished to be a Teutonic Knight again, he wished to be young and free. He wished to be anywhere but here.

It took twenty minutes for someone to catch up to him. The sound of labored breathing is what snapped Prussia out of his self pity party. He saw Austria of all people before him. The Austrian was hunched over with his hands on his knees, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

Instinctive hostility took over. "What do you want?" Gilbert hissed. The last thing he wanted to see was another nation. Especially one of his kin.

The be-speckled man remained silent. He took off his suit jacket and laid it on the grass before sitting at it. Roderich stared for a long time at Prussia before suddenly hugging him. Tears ran down his cheeks and wet Gilbert's shoulder. "Danke. Danke." Those were the only words that could escape his lips. Prussia held onto his cousin. Instead of being annoyed like he normally would, he appreciated this. He was thankful that someone realized he had done at least one good thing over the past decade.

When the Austrian had composed himself enough to say more than one word, he pulled away. His violet eyes still glistened with water and his cheeks were tear stained. "Ludwig went back to the house to pack for me since I'm allowed to return back home." Gilbert huffed and turned his attention away. Austria smiled slightly. "I didn't think you cared, but I thought I should tell you. I'll be back in Vienna by sundown tomorrow."

Gilbert laughed without humor. "Nothing like having a home."

The two didn't exchange words for awhile. Instead, they watched the cars and people go by on the streets of the city. This was the most time they had spent together in peace in centuries. "Why? Why did you do it? I saw those places too and...danke. I couldn't have...Elizavèta would've been..."

Prussia shrugged. "Believe it or not I'm a decent fucking person." He ran a hand through his hair, freeing it from the professional style he had worn for their day in court. "I've been around you the majority of my life. We've fought against each other, had good times together, went after the same girls. Same territories too. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I like you."

Austria laughed. "I don't like you either."

"Gute. I don't want you or your pity especially now." He looked at the Austrian. "Roddy, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. That's my job. Verdammt, you were such a mess after the divorce with Lizzie that I almost wanted to kick her ass. It's my job and my job only to make your life miserable."

Some more silence passed between them before Roderich would speak again. "Now that you're dead, what are you going to do with your life?"

The Prussian flashed his trademark smirk. He crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back on the grass. So many answers, but he wanted the perfect one. When it came, he laughed.

"I'm going to live."


End file.
